Whitsunday council to vote on dual occupancy for Mandara Rise

A Cannonvale estate has been slowly rising up for years and now the developer wants to add more dwellings which could ease the housing shortage crippling the Whitsundays.

The Mandara Rise estate in Cannonvale. Picture: Facebook

The Mandara Rise estate in Cannonvale could soon boast more dwellings in a change that could help ease the housing pressure crippling the Whitsundays.

Breeze 8, the company behind the estate, has applied to the council to rezone parts of the estate for 13 dual occupancy plots.

Whitsunday Regional Council defines dual occupancy as a “residential use of premises for two households involving two dwellings (whether attached or detached) on a single lot or two dwellings (whether attached or detached) on separate lots that share a common property.”

Mandara is approved for urban residential lots.

Whitsunday councillors will vote on the proposal at its July 12 meeting and council officers have already recommended approval.

Works goes on at the Mandara Rise estate in Cannonvale. Picture: Facebook

“The proposal encourages housing diversity within the Cannonvale area which makes steps towards relieving the affordable housing challenges the region is facing,” the July 12 council agenda document states.

“Each lot is above the minimum lot size specified under the dual occupancy code and are generally of a regular shape.

“Each lot being equal to or over 800sq m ensures sufficient space is available on each site for carparking, storage and private open space.”

Breeze 8, the company behind the Mandara Rise estate, has applied to the council to rezone a part of the development for 13 dual occupancy plots. The dual occupancy lots are shown in blue. Picture: Contributed

Houses are already rising up across the Valley Drive estate, which first gained approvals in 2009.

The estate backs up against a vegetated hillside that links to the Conway National Park.

Residents gain access to the estate via Valley Drive and Pearl Street.

A recent report from the Greater Whitsundays Housing Project suggests housing supply has not kept pace with demand because of building material shortages and costs, labour shortages and a lack of investor confidence in the regions.

A summit to resolve the crisis is booked for August 15.

Originally published as Whitsunday council to vote on dual occupancy for Mandara Rise